Soudal-QuickStep will be without Spring Classics strongman Jasper Stuyven at Opening Weekend races in Belgium. The former winner of both Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne was announced as a non-starter due to illness, the team posting the update Thursday to social platforms.
Earlier this week Soudal announced that Stuyven would make his Classics debut with the team on Saturday, riding alongside last year’s runner-up Paul Magnier and Dylan van Baarle, who won Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in 2023.
“We have several riders who will do the double this weekend,” Sports Director Iljo Keisse said in a team press release on Wednesday, referring to Magnier, Stuyven and Van Baarle at the time. “We’ll try to be in the finale with Paul, who’ll rely on a strong team to support him there.”
“The course is a demanding one, with many climbs and narrow roads, and even though the final part is a flat one, it’s not sure there will be a bunch sprint. I’d say the chances of…
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